Genetic drift most significantly affects which of the following populations?

Genetic drift refers to the random changes in allele frequencies that occur from one generation to the next, particularly as a result of chance events. This phenomenon has a much greater impact on small populations, where the number of individuals is limited, and each individual's genetic contribution can significantly influence the overall genetic makeup of the population. In small populations, random events, such as the death of a few individuals or random mating patterns, can lead to large fluctuations in allele frequencies. As a result, certain alleles may become more or less common, or even be lost entirely, over time.

In contrast, larger populations tend to have more stable allele frequencies due to the larger number of individuals, which tends to buffer against the effects of random changes. High genetic diversity in large populations also means that there are many alleles present, making it less likely that genetic drift will lead to significant shifts in allele frequencies for any single allele.

While geographical isolation can influence genetic drift by creating distinct populations, the effect of genetic drift is primarily magnified in smaller populations regardless of geographic isolation. Homogeneous populations without mutations may have limited variability, but that does not inherently lead to significant changes in allele frequencies; rather, it's the small population size that amplifies genetic drift effects.

Thus,